Rapunzel vs A Tangled Life Ch 1, Long Lost Friends
by ATangledMess
Summary: At the age of 12, Rapunzel escaped the tower and made her way home. At the age of 20, she is promoted to be Corona's youngest captain of the guard in history. She eventually arrests the Courtside Crook, her old friend Flynn Ryder. A Tangled Mess ensues. A/U


A/N: So, I had this idea. What if Rapunzel went against Mother Gothel's words, and escaped the tower at a younger age? In the movie, Flynn and Rapunzel are 8 years apart, in this they are the same age, though.. I don't know what this will turn into, but enjoy!

Rapunzel vs. a Tangled Life Chp. 1: Long Lost Friends

Disclaimer: I don't own Tangled, but I do admire her knotless hair.

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 _Present Day_

"Put your hands up in the name of Corona!"

The culprit turned around with his hands in the air, "Relax, Blondie, maybe we could figure something out."

"Only one person has ever called me that… Flynn?" Rapunzel asked the young man she was sure was her old childhood friend, " YOU'RE the Courtside Crook?"

"Yeah, haven't seen you in a while. Anyways, I'll just give back that lady's purse to you and we can both walk away," Flynn said, starting to walk away.

"You're not getting away this time!" Rapunzel exclaimed, grabbing him by the arms, and pinning Flynn down. The Royal Guards came to Rapunzel's aid.

"Thanks for the help, guys," Rapunzel said to Stan and Pete as they started carrying Flynn out of the alleyway Rapunzel originally caught him in.

"No problem, captain," Pete replied.

"Do you know what all you have stolen? Do you know how much it's worth?" Stan asked Flynn angrily as they carried him away to eventually put him in jail for everything that he had stolen.

 _10 years ago_

Eleven, soon to be twelve year old Rapunzel stood on her balcony. She kept questioning herself if she should do it. Tomorrow would be her 12th birthday and she was tired of just sitting in her tower all day with Pascal. She had come to a decision, she was finally going to leave the tower.

"I'm not waiting for some prince to come save me, Pascal. I'm leaving tomorrow, and you're coming with me." Pascal looked at her like she had to be kidding, "Im serious Pascal. I know, I know, 'Mother knows best.' This is the year. I know it."

 _The next day_

Rapunzel woke up to Pascal holding up a messily painted sign the said "HAPY BIRTDAY!", which was pretty good for spelling seeing that he was a chameleon.

"Aww, thanks, Pascal, you're the best!" Rapunzel exclaimed.

Rapunzel got a sack to put some of her stuff, like her new sign, which she rolled up, a brush, and last but not least, her favorite defense mechanism- a frying pan. She went to her balcony, tied her hair onto a post, as Pascal tied himself to her hair. Rapunzel put her sack around her shoulder, and jumped off. When she landed, she laid down and started rolling on the grass.

"Best. Day. EVER!" Rapunzel said as she started running, and she came to a stop, "I can't believe I did this! I… can't believe I did this. I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THIS!"

Rapunzel kept on doubting herself throughout the day, as she made her way into a big forest.

"Wow. Trees," Rapunzel said, "they're so pretty!"

"You're admiring trees?" Someone said that had been watching her for quite some time as he leaned against a tree behind her.

"AH!" Rapunzel screamed, as she turned around with her frying pan at the ready.

"Woah, woah, relax, Blondie. Wow," he said as he saw all of her hair, "Like hair much?"

"It has magical powers, so yeah I like it."

"Oh please, magic hair? That's the worst talent ever."

"Oh yeah? What talent do you have besides sneaking up on people?"

"I present to you, the smoulder," he said as he gave Rapunzel his signature smoulder.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes. She studied the young man for a moment. "Who are you, anyways?"

"The name is Flynn Ryder, ma'am," as he offered his hand

"Rapunzel," she replied giving it one good hard shake.

"Okay, Blondie. What are you doing out here anyways?" Flynn asked.

"Well, I've been trapped in a tower all of my life, and my birthday, which is today, is on the day where they release all of the lanterns and I've ALWAYS wanted to see them. You?"

"I mean, I don't know who my parents are, so the people at the Snuggly Duckling took me under their wing, and they taught me my second best talent. Stealing," Flynn explained as he held the sign Pascal made for Rapunzel, "Hapy Birtday? What kind of spelling is that?"

"Pascal made it," Rapunzel said and took it away as Pascal scowled at Flynn with his arms crossed, "and what's the Snuggly Duckling?"

"I'll lead the way, Blondie."

 _A little while later_

"I've got a dream!" Rapunzel exclaimed.

"She's got a dream!" The people at the Snuggly Duckling yelled.

"I've got a dream!" Rapunzel cried out.

"She's got a dream!" The patrons replied.

"I just want to see the glowing lanterns gleam! And with every passing hour, I'm so glad I left my tower! Like all you lovely folks I've got a dream!" They kept singing and singing a way, until…

"What's going on in here?" One of Coronas guards yelled, "We were passing by and we heard such a ruckus, we had to see what was going on."

"Sorry, sir, we were just having a good time with Rapunzel here, since its her birthday and all," Hookfoot, one of the people at the Snuggly Duckling explained.

"Wait… her name is Rapunzel?" One of the guards asked.

"And it's her birthday?" Another asked, "How old are you today?"

"Twelve years young," Rapunzel answered.

The five guards that were there huddled together. They began to talk, every once in awhile, looking up at Rapunzel. After a few minutes they came to the conclusion that maybe this was the lost princess. "Can you come with us?" The fourth guard asked Rapunzel.

"Ummm…" Rapunzel was scared. Did Mother Gothel know? Were they taking here back? " How does Mother Gothel know I escaped the tower?"

"What?" One guard asked.

"You see, Mother Gothel has made me stay in the tower since I was a baby, but I wanted to see the lanterns on my birthday."

The guards talked again as they were sure this was the dear princess they were looking for. "Don't be scared, we're not taking you back to Gothel. We won't hurt you." The fifth said.

"Go, bBondie," Flynn said.

"But what if I never see you again?"

"He can come with you if you want," One of the guards suggested.

"Would you?" Rapunzel asked Flynn. "I could use a friend."

"Why not?" Flynn replied, shrugging.

 _Some time later_

Rapunzel, Flynn, and the five royal guards made their way to Coronas castle. The guards led them in, as Flynn and Rapunzel looked around in amazement.

"Where are we going?" Rapunzel asked.

"To see the king and queen," One of the guards answered.

"THE KING AND QUEEN?!" Flynn and Rapunzel exclaimed.

"Why?" Rapunzel asked. "Why would they want to see me?"

"You'll find out shortly," the guard said as the other four left the group to another wing of the castle.

They approached the throne room. They entered and the king and queen, who had been chatting, looked up as the group approached.

"Who are these two children, Michael?" King Fredric asked.

"You know we don't like being bothered on this day so we can look for Rapunzel," Queen Ariana added.

"What?" Rapunzel said. She heard her name, but Flynn and Rapunzel weren't paying attention. They had been examining the throne room, and the fact the Queen knew her name caught her off guard.

"Nothing to bother you, dear," Ariana explained.

"Well, you see," Michael, the royal guard began. "Here's the thing. Me, Leonardo, Jerry, Patrick, and Daniel were strolling through the woods when we heard a loud ruckus from inside of the Snuggly Duckling. We saw what it was, and this young lady named RAPUNZEL escaped from a tower that her Mother Gothel was keeping her in, but she escaped because she wanted to see the lanterns on her TWELFTH BIRTHDAY."

"Why does she look like a younger me?" Rapunzel asked, seeing a large painting of Ariana, Fredric, and baby Rapunzel.

"Well, dear," Queen Ariana started, "When I was pregnant, I was very sick, so Fredric got a magical flower so I wouldn't die, but the lady we got it from took my newborn baby," she explained as she showed a picture of Mother Gothel.

"That looks like an old version of Mother Gothel!" Rapunzel exclaimed.

No one had notice that Flynn was wondering around, admiring all of the swords in the throne room, but his hand slipped while he was touching one of the swords.

"Ouch!" Flynn exclaimed as his finger started bleeding.

Rapunzel rushed over to where he was, held his finger, and started singing.

"Flower gleam and glow, Let your power shine, Make the clock reverse, Bring back what once was mine, Heal what has been hurt, Change the fates' design, Save what has been lost, And Bring back what once was mine, What once was mine."

"I forgot to tell you, this is my friend Flynn," Rapunzel said and explained how her and Flynn met.

"Wait… what was that song you were singing?" Queen Ariana asked.

"Flower gleam and glow, Let your power shine, Make the clock reverse, Bring back what once was mine, Heal what has been hurt, Change the fates' design, Save what has been lost, And Bring back what once was mine, What once was mine," Rapunzel sang.

"Oh, it's you!" Queen Ariana exclaimed. She burst into tears, and pulled Rapunzel in for a hug. "I never thought I'd see you again!" The King, who was shocked at the exchange, threw his arms around his wife and daughter, tears in both the King and the Queen's eyes.

"I'm who?" Rapunzel asked, confused.

"Our daughter!" the Queen exclaimed. She explained to Rapunzel how Mother Gothel kidnapped her, and that they were her real parents. Rapunzel was in shock. How could Mother Gothel do this to her?

"And who's this little guy?" Queen Ariana asked Rapunzel when she saw Pascal.

"This is Pascal, he's gotten me through a lot since childhood."

Queen Ariana and King Fredric played with Pascal, as they thought he was the cutest chameleon ever.

"What if we tricked her?" Rapunzel stated out of the blue, "The royal guards and I could go back to the tower, and when Mother Gothel comes into the tower, we can surround her and put her away for good." The King and Queen looked at her, confused. "Mother Gothel won't just let me go."

"Wow, I have a very smart daughter," King Fredric beamed.

"Well, I have had a lot of free time on my hands."

Michael, Rapunzel, and Flynn went to explain to the other royal guards, Leonardo, Jerry, Patrick, and Daniel, the dropped Flynn of at the Snuggly Duckling, and the others made their way to the tower.

"Are you sure this won't hurt?" Each guard said as they climbed up Rapunzel's hair.

"Yes, I'm sure," Rapunzel answered every time.

 _A while later_

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Mother Gothel called like she always did.

Mother Gothel climbed up her hair, and made her way into the tower.

"How was my little ones birthday?" Gothel asked.

"It's good, especially now," Rapunzel answered.

"Aww, that's sweet."

All of a sudden, the guards came out from their hiding places and surrounded Gothel and Rapunzel as they were hugging.

"What's going on, dear?"

"You can't keep your secret for very long," Rapunzel said.

"Dear, you can't do this to me."

"I sure can," Rapunzel said as Gothel was handcuffed.

"You're going to go away for a long time," Michael said.

 _Present Day_

"So Flynn was the first person you met after your imprisonment?" Clyde, one of the new guards, asked.

"Yep, you've never seen anything as amazing as Blondie's face as the first time she got to be outdoors."

"I don't know," Rapunzel replied. "Mother Gothel's face was pretty amazing when we arrested her."

"I wasn't there, remember?" Flynn replied, pouting.

"You really should have seen her face," Rapunzel said, laughing.

"You know, I've really missed you Rapunzel, you were a great friend," Flynn said.

"Wow, you know my name," Rapunzel teased.

"Yep, I sure do, Blondie," Flynn teased back, "So you're captain now, huh?"

"I am. Youngest in Coronas history, started two years ago."

"Wow, captain at twenty? I feel bad for making you chase me everywhere."

"Oh, please."

"Is it hard work being captain?"

"Yeah, but I enjoy it. I just wish I understood criminals more."

Flynn smirked, " I think I know how to help you with that."

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A/N: This is basically just a prologue. It might turn into nothing, but it depends on how you guys like it. Reviews and D/Ms welcome. Until next time.

GC💙


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